| Location of your aquarium
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| | the intense ammonia poisoning. We don't
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| So, you bought your very first fish tank.
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| | want fishes to die in our new fish tank.
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| And you probably already decided where to
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| | It is also not recommended to use feeder
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| place it. But keep in mind that a fish
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| | fishes for this task, as they often carry
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| tank filled with water is much heavier
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| | diseases.
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| than it seems. So please, place it on
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| | Prawn method is easy, throw them in and
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| something strong and stable.
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| | wait. But be prepared for the smell.
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| It is also advisable to keep your fish
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| | Commercial products are not the most
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| tank away from direct, or even indirect,
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| | reliable. Most of us would wonder how
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| sunlight. Long hours of sunlight will
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| | much shelf life do these products have.
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| induce algae, something you do not want
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| | After all, we are talking about live
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| if you wish to keep your aquarium
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| | organisms here. But there are indeed
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| beautiful.
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| | cases where hobbyists introduce fishes
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| Any gravel?
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| | without cycling, relying on commercial
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| Skip this part if you plan to have a
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| | products to do its work. It all boils
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| simple bare-bottom fish tank. Personally,
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| | down to how much risk you are willing to
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| I feel that gravels make an aquarium
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| | take. Personally, I have a bottle of
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| looks so much nicer. Having gravels also
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| | Nutrafin Cycle, which I bought when I
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| helps hide your fishes' wastes.
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| | upgraded my filter.
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| Before you start pouring your gravels
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| | The wait
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| into your fish tank, stop! Take a pail,
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| | So you've introduced ammonia, turned on
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| pour your gravels into it instead. Start
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| | your filter, and is waiting for your fish
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| washing them over and over until the
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| | tank to cycle. I would recommend at least
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| water is decently clear. This is
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| | three days of cycling before introducing
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| important, as you don't want your fishes
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| | your fishes. Longer, if the fishes you
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| to be swimming in chocolate milk.
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| | plan to keep are sensitive. Or if you
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| Preparing your water
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| | have not decided on what fishes to keep,
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| Water is the single most important
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| | now is a good time to research on that.
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| element of an aquarium. It is important
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| | Find on how big will the fishes grow up
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| to prepare your water before adding any
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| | to. Most fishes are so tiny when young,
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| fishes, as most tap water contains
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| | but can grow up to huge sizes. This is
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| chemicals like chlorine and chloramine,
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| | important, as having no space to swim
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| which are harmful to fishes. So be sure
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| | will stunt their growth, their colors
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| to get a bottle of water conditioner from
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| | will not show, and they get sick easier.
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| your favourite pet shop that neutralizes
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| | So get suitable fishes, unless you have
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| both chlorine and chloramine.
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| | plans to upgrade to a larger fish tank.
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| If you have gravels, be very gentle when
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| | Find out if the fishes are to be kept in
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| pouring water into your tank, so as not
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| | brackish water or fresh water. Do not mix
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| to stir up the gravels. A useful tip is
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| | the two types of fishes. Find out also
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| to pour your water onto a floating plate
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| | their aggressiveness, feeding habits,
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| or saucer, so as to divert the force of
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| | behaviors, and anything else you need to
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| the falling water. Fill water to your
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| | know to keep your fishes healthy and
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| preferred height, and add measured amount
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| | happy.
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| of your anti-chlorine-and-chloramine
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| | Acclimatizing your new fishes
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| water conditioner.
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| | Finally, it's time for you to go out and
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| Setting up your filter
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| | buy your fishes. Get the pet shop people
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| Setup your filter according to your
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| | to help you select healthy ones. While at
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| filter's manual. Make sure that it is
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| | the shop, make sure you've already gotten
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| working properly as intended, as the
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| | everything you need. Things like food,
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| filter is a very important part of an
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| | aquarium salt(if keeping brackish water
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| aquarium. Your filter provides water
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| | fishes), net, water pump, and a bottle of
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| circulation, and also oxygenates the
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| | anti-chlorine-and-chloramine water
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| water, if your type of filter causes
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| | conditioner.
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| water surface disturbance. If your
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| | Once you reached home, float the packet
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| aquarium is heavily loaded with fishes,
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| | of your new babies in your tank water.
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| and your filter fails for even a few
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| | This is to acclimatize your fishes to the
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| hours, it could be fatal.
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| | new water temperature. Float for about 15
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| What is cycling?
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| | minutes, then open up the packet, and
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| Cycling is the process where bacterias
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| | pour some of your tank water into it.
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| break down ammonia(NH3) into
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| | This is to acclimatize your fishes to the
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| nitrite(NO2), and from nitrite to
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| | new water parameters. Wait for another 15
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| nitrate(NO3). Ammonia and nitrite are
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| | minutes, or more, if your fishes are
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| both very toxic to fishes, and nitrate
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| | sensitive species. And finally, use a net
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| being the least toxic of the three.
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| | to catch your fishes into your fish tank!
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| Therefore this process is the most
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| | Observing your fishes
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| important for any aquarium.
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| | If your fish tank has decorative objects,
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| The nitrosomonas species of bacteria
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| | most likely your new fishes will go into
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| starts forming when ammonia is present.
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| | hiding. This is normal, and will last up
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| They form all around our fish tank, the
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| | to a few days. When they do show
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| driftwoods, the substrate, and especially
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| | themselves, observe them. Take note of
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| inside our filter. Slowly, they will form
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| | how their bodies look like, and how they
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| into a colony large enough to efficiently
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| | behave, so you will know when something
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| breakdown ammonia into nitrite. When
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| | odd happens.
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| nitrite in the water has reached a
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| | Feed very sparingly during this beginning
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| certain level, the Nitrobacter species of
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| | stage. As the filtration and bacteria
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| bacteria starts forming. Slowly, they
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| | system is still new, do not want to
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| will breakdown the nitrite into nitrate.
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| | pollute the water too much. I suggest
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| And finally, nitrate in the water can be
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| | feeding small amounts once a day starting
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| removed via the most common and
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| | from the second or third day. If your
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| cost-effective method, water changes.
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| | fishes refuse to eat, do not put in more
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| In a nutshell: Ammonia > Nitrite >
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| | food. Try feeding again the next day.
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| Nitrate
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| | This is normal and you do not need to
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| Introduction of ammonia
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| | worry, as the fishes most likely already
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| These are the various ways of introducing
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| | eaten when in the pet shop, and they can
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| ammonia:
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| | survive for as long as a week without
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| - Seeding. Transfer some gravel or filter
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| | food.
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| sponge/wool/etc from an established fish
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| | Conclusion
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| tank into the new one.
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| | Soon, your fishes will get used to their
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| - Fish wastes. Zebra danios are very
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| | environment. They will start becoming
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| hardy fishes that are commonly used for
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| | more active. Their vibrant colors will
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| cycling.
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| | start showing. And they may even
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| - Market prawns. Yes, it will stink.
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| | recognize you whenever you come close to
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| - Commercial products.
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| | feed them. That is the reward of
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| Personally, I feel that the seeding
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| | fish-keeping! But of course, you have to
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| method would be the most reliable and
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| | be a responsible owner. Performing the
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| yields the fastest results.
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| | regular water changes, medicating them
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| Fish method is slow, but adding more
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| | when they get sick, and feeding them
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| fishes does makes the process faster.
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| | quality food everyday. And I officially
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| Just that the fishes might not survive
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| | welcome you to the hobby!
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